1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors for connecting electrical leads together and to electrical termination lugs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In innumerable electrical devices and electrical circuitry there is a necessity for making a mechanical connection of an electrical lead or wire to a connecting terminal or post, or to another wire or group of wires. Where such mechanical connections of electrical conductors are necessary, any number of varieties of terminal lugs may be utilized. Conventional electrical termination lugs are manufactured of electrically conductive metals in a variety of configurations. One configuration is in the form of an annular eyelet, the central aperture of which fits over a terminal post. In an alternative configuration a U-shaped lug is employed which includes a pair of parallel fingers, spaced apart, to fit on either side of a termination post. The eyelet design is employed in applications where the terminal lug is to be immoveably captured, while the U-shaped terminal lug is employed to facilitate connection and disconnection of the lug. Other types of terminal lugs are also employed in a wide variety of configurations and sizes.
In conventional practice, wires are fastened to electrical teminal lugs in several ways. According to one conventional technique, a sleeve on the terminal lug is crimped onto the end of a wire so that the sleeve frictionally engages the wire. To effectuate a reliable connection, crimping must be performed with pliers especially designed for this purpose. Another alternative method of attaching the end of a wire to a terminal lug is to solder the wire to the lug. A fusible solder and a soldering iron are required to effectute such a connection.
In still another conventional method of attachment the lug is provided with a screw terminal. The end of the wire is wrapped around the shank of the screw, and the screw is tightened to clamp the wire against a backing. A closely related technique utilizes a clamping nut threadably engaged on the shank of a screw terminal post. While such connections require only a screwdriver or general purpose pliers, the connection effectuated is frequently defective. That is, as the screw or nut is turned to clamp against the wire, the wire often will slip or the head of the clamping screw or the nut will frequently laterally displace the wire, so that the connection effectuated is not secure.
All of the conventional means for connecting wires to terminal lugs require special tools or result in unreliable connections, and often suffer from both disadvantages. Soldered connections break when flexed too severely. Screws sometimes become loosened and the frictional engagement afforded by a crimp likewise sometimes is too loose initially or later becomes loose.
Many alternative connectors have been devised to attempt to improve upon the commonly used conventional electrical wire connectors. One such device is the so-called "wire nut". However, this device is applicable only to connecting the ends of two or more wires. Also, it fails to produce a positive mechanical lock if the wrong size is used, or if it is carelessly installed. Other connectors which have been devised are frequently too bulky or complex, and thus have failed to gain commercial acceptance.